#GivingTuesday for Ebola awareness

UNDP Mongolia's team volunteered their time at a school for children from vulnerable families. photo: UNDP / Mongolia

UNDP joins global day of giving for second year with worldwide events, mobile fundraising and a digital art auction

New York, USA -- #GivingTuesday, the global day dedicated to giving back, is taking place today for the third time. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is joining the celebration of volunteering for the second year, giving a global tint to the day by hosting events in countries all around the world.

In India for example, UNDP staff are collecting blankets and other supplies for homeless people, which will be donated ahead of the winter cold. In Mongolia, UNDP colleagues joined hands to raise funds for a school on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar that teaches 200 children from the most vulnerable families. In addition to volunteering, UNDP offices are also hosting discussions and seminars on the risks, spread and fight against Ebola, for example in Cameroon and Belarus.
Mobile fundraising
UNDP staff and volunteers are also joining hands in a first ever mobile fundraising campaign, this too in support of UNDP’s work fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. By texting “UNDP” to 41444, or visiting bit.ly/UNDPfund the public is asked to contribute whatever they can to help; for example, with just US$50 an Ebola-affected family of five will receive essential supplies from UNDP during an entire month. A short animation on YouTube illustrates the poignant need and importance of the work being done.

Online digital art auction: #GIFingTuesday
Another first this year is #GIFingTuesday: a one of a kind global digital art exhibition and auction, again underpinning the important Ebola crisis work. Artists from all over the world have contributed work that will be exhibited and auctioned in the coming weeks. To take a look at the auction visit bit.ly/UNDPauction.